Implement hitch



1954 Q w. WILSON ET AL IMPLEMENT HITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 28,1950 rum" M m M H m2 M JMM m fl fl N 5.0 w 0% Mm A u T R Aug. 3, 1954 R.W. WILSON ET AL IMPLEMENT HITCH Filed Oct. 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UlTED STATES OFFIE IMPLEMENT HKTGH Raymond Wilson,Ferndal'e, and Ralph. C.

Frevik, Detroit, Mich, assignors, by mesne. assignments, to Ford MotorCompany, Dearbo'rn, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Applicationctober'28, 1950, Serial No. 192,742.

3 Claims; 1' This invention relates to an improved hitch for connectingfarm implements to tractors,.and particularly to a hitch constructionfor connecting,

animplement subject to side draft to-tractors of the type havinglaterally spaced, universally pivoted, trailing hitch links.

In many farm implements, and particularly ground engaging types ofimplements such as moldboards and disc plows, a substantial lateralthrust is exerted upon the implement during its operation. Such lateralthrust is referred to as.

such side draft is generally located at the theoretical. intersection ofthe hitch links which are generally slightly forwardly converging. Suchtheoretical intersection point is commonly located in the vicinity ofthefront axle of the tractor'and, as a result, a substantialinterference with the steering of the tractor is encountered whenever.-a side draft producing implement is pulled. Obviously, if thetheoretical point of application of side draft forces could be locatedon the tractor at a. point rearwardly of the front. wheel, andpreferably at a central point in the rear axle of the. tractor, theadverse effects of implement. side draft upon the steering of thetractor would be substantially eliminated.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedimplement hitch for tractors of the type having laterally spaced,universally pivoted,.trailing hitch links.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved hitchconstruction for implements subject to side draft for connection to thetrailing. draft links of the tractor which will locate the point ofapplication of the implement side draft forces on the tractor at a pointon thevtractor producing a minimum interferenc with the steering andoperation of the tractor.

A particular object of this invention is to provide an anti-side draftimplement hitch for tractors having power-lifted hitch links which willnot interfere in any manner with the lifting ofthe connected implementby such power-lifted hitch links for transport or depth controlpurposes.

The specific nature of this invention, as well as. other objects andadvantages thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in the. artfrom the following detailed. description, taken in con- 2" junction withthe attached sheets of drawings on which, by way of'preferred, exampleonly, is illustratedone embodiment of this invention.

On the drawings:

Fig. 1 is' a plan view of a side draft producing implement connected toa tractor by a hitch em bodying this invention, with the tractor toplink omitted for the purpose of clarity.

Fig. 2 is a reduced scale side elevational view of'Fig. 1, with thetractor top link included.

Fig. 3' is an enlarged scale partial sectional view' taken on the plane3'3 of Fig. 1..

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view taken on the plane 4-4 ofFig. '1.

As shown on the drawings:

The hitch construction. hereafter described is particularly adaptablefor use with a well knowntype of tractor HI which hasa rear axlehousingl I supported by a pair. of rear wheels t2.

At laterally spaced points on the rear' axle housing II, a pair oftrailing hitch links I 3 are respectively mounted'on universal typepivot bearings, permitting the hitch. links 13 to move both horizontallyand vertically relative to the tractor; The hitch links ['3 may beconcurrently raised or lowered by a power lift mechanism (not shown)incorporated in the tractor which comprises a pair of rocker arms M(Fig; 2) which are respectively connected to the hitch links I3 byconnecting links I5. At the top of. the rear axle housing H a suitablepivot mounting I6 is provided for pivotally mounting the forward end ofa top link IT. Beneath the rear axle housing and slightly rearwardlythereof,. a clevis hitch I8 is provided,

.- comprising. spaced apart plate elements i'8a which are suitablyapertured' to receive a vertically disposed'clevis pin [81).

The construction thus far described: is entirely conventional and wellknown and-further description thereof is deemed unnecessary;

While the hitch embodying this invention may be utilized with any typeof implement which is subject to side draft, it will be particularlydescribed and illustrated inconnection with a oneway disc. plow 29. Discplow 20 may be of any conventional construction, for example, having. avmain rectangular frame defined by welded. longitudinal angle beams 20aand transverse beams 201). At transversely spaced points on such frame,

bearing hangers Z'flc are provided and a gang of discs 29d arejournalled in bearings 20c mounted to the lower end of hangers 2m: inconventional fashion.v In the normal operation of this type ofimplement, the axis of the disc gangs 2001 is disposed in transverseangular relationship with respect to the path of travel of the tractor.

It is customary to provide a furrow wheel on such implements which,during operation of the implement, rides against the wall of the furrowproduced by the implement and hence opposes the side draft forcesinherently produced by the soil reaction on the angularly disposedground engaging discs. Such a furrow wheel 20 may, for example, bemounted upon the laterally projecting end of one of the transverse framemembers 20b and preferably has a vertically disposed mounting shaft 209received in a vertical axis bearing 20h secured to the particulartransverse frame beam. A rocker arm 20 is rigidly secured to the shaft209 and is connected by a link 20m to a portion of the hitch mechanismand serves, as will be later described, to control the angular positionof the furrow wheel 20! in accordance with the direction of travel ofthe tractor Ill.

The hitch embodying this invention essentially comprises an upstandingframe structure 21 of generallyA-shaped configuration. Such framestructure may comprise a channel shaped strap Zia having depending sidearms 21b and 2lc respectively. Pivot pins 21d are respectively rigidlymounted in the side arms 2ib and H in transversely projectingrelationship. Pivot pins 2lo', are suitably shaped so as to beengageable in the spherical type pivot bearings i3a which arerespectively provided in the free ends of the tractor hitch links IS.

The hitch frame 2: further comprises an upstanding inverted U-shapedstrap 2 le which has the lower ends of its arms 21 and 2 lg weldedrespectively to the arms 2 lb and 21Ic and has a generally horizontallydisposed bight portion 2| 1'. Suitable aligned vertical apertures 2imand 2m are respectively provided in the center of the bight portion 2 ifof strap Elie and the web 2H0 of the channel shaped member 21a for apurpose to be later described. An inverted U-shaped strap 23 is providedwhich has its arms horizontally outturned as indicated at 23b andrespectively secured to the front transverse frame member 200. of theimplement 2|], as by bolts 23c. The bight portion 230! of strap 23 abutsthe bottom face of the bight portion 2 l7" of strap 2ie.

Additionally, a bearing spacer 25 is provided comprising an invertedU-shaped strap member having horizontally outturned ends 25arespectively secured to the top surface of the front transverse framebeam 20a of the implement and a horizontally disposed bight portion 25?)which provides support for the central portions of the channel shapedmember 21a. Both the bight portions 2% of the bearing spacer 25 and 2Hof strap 21c are respectively provided with suitable vertical holes 250and 2 l in alignment with the holes Zlm and 2m and hence a bearing pinor bolt 26 may be inserted through such holes, to effectively mount thehitch frame 2| to the implement 20 for movement relative thereto about avertical axis. A spacer sleeve 22 surrounds pin 26 between channel 21aand strap 2 is. U -shaped strap 23 and hence pin 25 is braced in anupright position by a strap 24 which surrounds the upper end of pin 26underneath the bight portion 23a of stra 23. Strap 2d slopes downwardlyand rearwardly for connection to the rear transverse frame member 29a bybolt 24a.

A U-shaped bracket 2? is rigidly secured to the top of the member He andhas its bight portion vertically apertured to permit the shaft 26 topass therethrough and its arm portions horizontally apertured to receivea pivot pin lla for universally pivotally connecting the ends of toplink I! thereto. Accordingly, it is apparent that when the tractor hitchlinks i3 are raised or lowered by the power lift mechanism provided onthe tractor. the entire implement 20 will be correspondingly raised orlowered.

Lastly, the hitch embodying this invention utilizes a forwardlyprojecting tongue structure 28 which is connected to the frame of theimplement 2c in such manner as to be rigid therewith so far as relativehorizontal movement is concerned. For example, a pair of laterallyspaced, vertically disposed ears 29 may be rigidly secured to the frontframe beam 281) and symmetrically located relative to the axis of thevertical pivot shaft 26. The ears 29 are traversed by a horizontallydisposed pivot pin 30 and the rear end of tongue structure 28incorporates a transversely disposed horizontal axis pivot hearing 28cwhich is mounted upon the pin 30. The tongue 28 also incorporatesstructure permitting its over-all length to be freely variable. Forexample, the tongue 28 may comprise a pair of telescopinglyinterconnected tubular members 281) and 28c. The rear tubular member281) is rigidly secured to the pivot bearing 28a, while the forwardtubular element 28c is pivotally secured to a yoke 3i which is in turnpivotally mounted on the tractor clevis hitch pin i8b. For example, theforward end of the front tubular element 280 may be shaped as to beinsertable within the rearwardly projecting, transversely spaced arms31a of the yoke 31 and is pivotally attached to such yoke for movementin a vertical plane by a transverse bolt 32.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the described hitcharrangement will in no manner interfere with the free lifting andlowering of the implement by the tractor power-lifted hitch links i3,inasmuch as the tongue 28 is freely extensive or contractable in lengthto accommodate such movement. In operating the implement 2% with thedescribed hitch construction, it is obvious that the effective sidedraft of such implement may be considered to be represented by a lateralforce F operating at some point 0 which is intermediate the tractor l0and the furrow wheel 29). Since the furrow wall effectively opposeslateral movement of the furrow wheel 20 and since the tractor issimilarly laterally restrained through its own weight and the fact thatone of its right hand wheels (as viewed in Fig. l) is normally travelingin abutment with the furrow wall, it is apparent that the side draftforces operating effectively at the point 0 on the implement tend topivot the implement about the pivotal mounting axis of the implement.However, any such tendency to pivot the implement is positivelyrestrained by the tongue structure 28 by virtue of the fact that suchtongue structure is rigid with the implement frame in so far as relativehorizontal movements are concerned. Accordingly, the side draft forceswill then be applied to the tractor by the effectively rigid tonguestructure only at the point of connection of such tongue structure tothe tractor, hence at the location of the tractor clevis hitch pin [822.Since such hitch pin is located intermediate the rear wheels of thetractor, it is apparent that the application of the side draft forces ofthe implement to the tractor at such point will produce little, if anyinterference with the steering of the tractor.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of constructionmay be varied through a wide range without departing from the principlesof this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theappended claims.

We claim:

1. A hitch for connecting an implement subject to side draft to atractor having a pair of laterally spaced, universally pivoted, trailinghitch links and a central rear hitch point, comprising in combination anarticulated hitch frame of generally A-shaped configuration, verticalpin means for pivotally connecting said hitch frame to the implement inupstanding relationship and movable relative to the implement about avertical axis, a pair of laterally projecting pivot pins respectivelydisposed on opposite sides of said hitch frame and adapted respectivelyfor universal pivotal connection to the tractor hitch links, a forwardlyprojecting bracket on the central portion of said implement, atransverse pin mounted in said bracket, a freely extensible, for wardlyprojecting tongue link pivoted on said transverse pin, and hitch meanson the front end of said tongue adapted for vertical axis pivotalconnection with said central rear tractor hitch point.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said tongue link comprisesfreely sliding telescoping tubular members.

3. In an implement having a rigid implement frame and a steerabletrailing furrow wheel carried by said frame for pivoted movement about avertical steering axis, said implement being adapted for use with atractor having a pair of laterally spaced, trailing hitch linksuniversally pivoted to the tractor rear axle housing and forwardlyconvergent toward a theoretical hitch point located in advance of saidrear axle housing and a central rear hitch point located at said rearaxle housing, an implement hitch comprising a hitch frame adapted forpivotal connection to said implement frame for movement relative theretoabout a vertical pivot axis, laterally spaced pivot pins on said hitchframe adapted respectively for universal pivotal connection to saidtractor hitch links, said hitch frame thus being disposed for steeringmovement by said links about said theoretical hitch point, a freelyextensible tongue link connected rigidly to said implement so far asrelative horizontal movement is concerned, means on the front end ofsaid tongue link adapted for vertical axis pivotal connection with saidcentral rear tractor hitch point to steer the implement frame laterallyabout said central hitch point, and a generally longitudinally extendingarm pivotally secured at one end to said hitch frame in laterally spacedrelation to said vertical pivot axis and at the other end to said furrowwheel for steering the same about its steering axis in accordance withthe steering of said frame about said theoretical hitch point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,320,141 Kott May 25, 1943 2,322,342 Bunn June 22, 19432,337,801 Cook Dec. 28, 1943 2,379,225 Frags. June 26, 1945 2,440,550Martin Apr. 27, 1948

